The European Commission said Thursday it plans to award nearly EUR 1.25 billion ($1.3 billion) in grants to 41 cross-border energy infrastructure projects, mostly in the study stage. The funding is from the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) for Energy, which supports the implementation of the European Union’s Trans-European Networks for Energy (TEN-E) Regulation. The regulation aims to link national and regional power, low-carbon gas, hydrogen and carbon dioxide infrastructure. Thursday’s announcement constitutes “the largest call for proposals under the current CEF Energy program, both in terms of applications received and funding awarded and goes beyond the call’s initial indicative budget of EUR 850 million”, the Commission said in an online statement. The call was made last year as the inaugural grant deployment of the revised TEN-E Regulation, put into effect June 2022 to align with the EU’s goal of turning into a net-zero emissions economy by 2050. The selected projects announced Thursday, consisting of 36 studies and five work proposals, had obtained the status of Project of Common Interest or Project of Mutual Interest in 2024 under the TEN-E Regulation, the Commission said. Almost EUR 750 million has been earmarked for eight power grid projects, including offshore and smart grids. The bulk of the grid allotment at EUR 645 million will support the Bornholm Energy Island project. The project involves the building of a first-of-a-kind hybrid interconnector in the Baltic Sea that links to Denmark and Germany. The project will integrate three gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity, according to the Commission. “Another grant for construction works of almost EUR 33 million will go to Danube InGrid, a cross-border smart electricity project between Hungary and Slovakia that will integrate renewable energy and more efficiently balance the system”, the Commission said. The other six – located in Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, France, Slovakia and Spain – will receive study support. “To help decarbonize

The UK submitted a plan to the United Nations to cut its CO2 emissions by at least 81 percent by 2035, just as the country’s status as a global climate leader comes under increased scrutiny. The government fleshed out the goal Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced at the COP29 summit in November, touting its credentials as the first Group-of-Seven country to phase out coal, its phaseout of new cars relying solely on the combustion engine by 2030 and its policy of not issuing new oil and gas exploration licenses. By submitting its so-called Nationally Determined Contribution, the UK is marking itself out as one of the few large economies boosting its ambitions against a backdrop of inflation and concern over the cost of the climate transition.  “The UK’s bold new climate plan means it is even better placed to cash in on the climate action boom,” said Simon Stiell, executive secretary of UN climate change. “Other countries, across the G20 and around the world, should follow suit.” Still, the Labour government’s green credentials have been questioned as it pushes to build a controversial third runway at London’s Heathrow airport. It’s also facing a key test over how it will deal with a court challenge to fossil fuel developments in the North Sea. There’s growing concern over global climate action. US President Donald Trump is set to pull the world’s highest historical emitter out of the landmark Paris Agreement of 2015, which committed countries to keeping global warming below 2C and ideally 1.5C. The European Union is also facing a stiff challenge from climate skeptic parties across the continent. “The UK has demonstrated it is back in the business of climate leadership,” according to the plan published Thursday. “There is no global stability without climate stability.” All countries have to submit their

American oilfield services firm Baker Hughes (NYSE:BKR) has beaten analyst profit estimates with an 8% increase in revenue and a 36% jump in adjusted net income in its full year results. Baker Hughes achieved an adjusted profit of $0.70 per share in the fourth quarter, surpassing analyst expectations of $0.63. The company’s industrial and energy technology (IET) segment experienced strong growth, with orders rising by 44% and revenue reaching $3.5 billion. Baker Hughes attributed the surge to robust demand for compressors, turbines and other modular systems used in gas processing. The IET segment also secured $3.8bn in orders in the fourth quarter of 2024, supported by strong liquefied natural gas (LNG) orders. This week, Baker Hughes also secured a major contract with Venture Global LNG in the United states. Overall, the company booked $13bn in orders in 2024, its second highest order year ever. Baker Hughes chairman and chief executive officer Lorenzo Simonelli said the order performance “highlights the end-market diversity and versatility of our portfolio”. “As reflected in our strong 2024 results and our exceptional margin improvement, Baker Hughes has evolved into a more profitable energy and industrial technology company,” he said. “Company results are benefiting from strong execution, sharpened commercial focus and improved productivity gains.” Despite strong growth in its IET segment, Baker Hughes saw revenue decline by 5% in North America in its oilfield services segment. Meanwhile, international revenues, which includes the company’s North Sea and European operations, saw a slight decline, with a 1% decrease compared to the previous year. Recommended for you BP isn’t moving fast enough in the energy transition

Norwegian oil and gas firm Equinor has awarded Tromsø-based Lufttransport RW a contract to operate five Leonardo AW189 helicopters for offshore flights. The aircraft will be used to transport passengers to offshore facilities on the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) from bases in Sola and Florø. The company joins CHC and Bristow in operating offshore flights for Equinor on the NCS, with the agreement last for seven years with options for a further six years. Equinor said the total value of the contract, including options, is worth approximately 7 billion NOK (£499m). Last year, Equinor signed agreements to procure 15 new offshore helicopters aimed at reducing reliance on the Sikorsky S-92 model. Sikorsky S-92 helicopter at the Gina Krog field in the North Sea. (Photo: Øyvind Gravås – Woldcam / Equinor ASA) After the removal of the Airbus Super Puma from operations in the industry, the S-92 has over time become the dominant aircraft for flights in the offshore oil and gas sector. But there are some concerns about the safety record of the S-92 following a crash in Norway last year which killed an Equinor employee during a training exercise. Helicopter operators have also struggled with a spare parts crisis for the S-92, leading to efforts to diversify the offshore fleet in the North Sea. Equinor helicopter fleet In addition to the five AW189 helicopters from Leonardo, American firm Bell will deliver 10 Bell 525 helicopters to Equinor from 2026. The AW189 and Bell 525 are both super medium-type helicopters, with space for 16 passengers. Equinor senior vice president Ørjan Kvelvane said the safety of employees who travel by helicopter is the firm’s “utmost priority”. “New helicopters will make helicopter traffic more robust,” Kvelvane said. “Safe, predictable and efficient transportation is crucial to safely maintain a high activity level on

TotalEnergies (XPAR: TTE) failed to implement maintenance practices at its Culzean platform, creating a risk of fire and explosion, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The body served TotalEnergies with an improvement notice saying the oil major “failed to take appropriate measures with a view to preventing fire and explosion on the Culzean installation”. The notice added that TotalEnergies had not implemented its system for planned preventative maintenance work on the valves that restrict potential reverse flows. “The only maintenance record found was for critical check valve 0420-V0069, which was replaced in August 2022 because it had seized,” the notice said. A TotalEnergies spokesperson said: “We are progressing the close out of the improvement notice served by the HSE in-line with the plan we presented to them. We will close the issue within the timeframe of the notice. “We continue with our transparent and honest dialogue on safety. Safety is a core value of TotalEnergies where constant vigilance and discipline is applied by all.” HSE has given TotalEnergies until the end of March to rectify the situation. Based 142 miles (220km) east of Aberdeen, the Culzean platform suffered a power outage in 2023 during a planned platform shutdown, requiring 46 non-essential personnel to be removed from the asset. TotalEnergies aims to electrify the Culzean platform through a floating wind pilot project, which forms part of the Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) leasing round. This will see the company install a 3MW turbine 2km west of the Culzean platform, which is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2025, to supply around 20% of the asset’s power requirements. TotalEnergies starting drilling work at the end of 2024 on a development infill well at the field, with estimates suggesting it could target around 67 million boe

Fleet operator North Star has named and handed over the fourth and final service operations vessel (SOV) in its deal with the developers of the Dogger Bank offshore wind farm. The Grampian Tweed has completed the company’s fleet of dedicated ships serving Equinor, SSE Renewables and Vårgrønn’s mammoth 3.6GW project. North Star signed a deal to provide four newbuild hybrid-powered SOVs to provide logistical and safety support for the maintenance and operation of Dogger Bank under ten-year charters. The first three have already been delivered. The Grampian Tweed’s naming ceremony, held at Associated British Ports’ (ABP’s) new Lowestoft Eastern Energy Facility, was attended by representatives from North Star, Equinor, SSE Renewables, and local stakeholders. Mobilised and prepared through North Star’s Lowestoft operations team, the Grampian Tweed was developed with local experts Alicat Workboats in Great Yarmouth, which delivered all four daughter craft that support SOV operations out in field. North Star chief executive Gitte Gard Talmo said: “The naming of the Grampian Tweed is a proud moment for all of us across the business. Our in-house teams have worked tirelessly to ensure that this SOV, alongside its sister vessels, meets the highest standards of safety, efficiency, and environmental responsibility. © Supplied by SSEDogger Bank offshore wind farm. “The early handover of all these ships not only reinforces our partnership with Equinor and SSE Renewables but also strengthening our role in the transition to a greener, more sustainable energy future.” Over the past three years, North Star has invested £270m and placed 160 experienced seafarers to support its Dogger Bank tonnage and will recruit a further 160 seafarers for its expanding SOV fleet in the next three years to meet current contract charter commitments. The Dogger Bank fleet delivery success has also informed North Star’s other newbuild programmes underway, including its